Phyllis Benjamin
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The Honourable Phyllis Benjamin AO MBE |
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|---|---|
| Member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council for Hobart | |
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In office 10 May 1952 – 22 May 1976 |
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| Preceded by | John Soundy |
| Succeeded by | Kath Venn |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Phyllis Jean Allsopp 30 August 1907 Mosman, New South Wales |
| Died | 6 April 1996 (aged 88) |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Spouse(s) | Albert Benjamin (m. 1926) |
| Relations | Bill Neilson (son-in-law) |
Phyllis Jean Benjamin AO MBE (30 August 1907 – 9 April 1996), Australian Labor Party politician, was a member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council in the electorate of Hobart from 10 May 1952 until her retirement on 22 May 1976.
Born Phyllis Allsopp, she married Albert Benjamin in Sydney on 10 March 1926.
In 1948, their daughter, Jill Benjamin, married Bill Neilson who would go on to become Premier of Tasmania.
She stood for the division of Hobart as a Labor candidate when sitting member John Soundy retired on 10 May 1952. She won the division easily with 1,433 votes, the next highest candidate winning only 563 votes.
She was the first Australian woman to lead an upper house of Parliament and the longest serving female politician in Australian political history.
Despite her sex, Benjamin was reported as one of the "36 faceless men" reported to be in control of the Australian Labor Party in the lead up to the 1963 Australian federal election.
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